<h4>Chapter 62: Chapter 62 That’s Absurd</h4>


    Xavier’s pov


    I entered the dining room of the Shadow Pack house, my wolf Kael growling in my mind, already sensing the tension in the air.


    Cici’s face lit up the moment she saw me. "Xavier!" she squealed, leaping from her chair.


    She bounded toward me, her floral perfume assaulting my senses before she even got close. When she was still about ten feet away, I raised my hand in a blocking gesture, my revulsion so thick it felt like fog clogging in my chest.


    I sidestepped herpletely. My focus was singr as I strode directly to where my parents sat.


    Looking my mother straight in the eyes, I demanded, "Who put you up to fabricating these lies? Do you think I haven’t humiliated myself enough? Or do you believe I need to sink even lower into dishonor?"


    My mother, Luna Dora, stared at me in stunned silence, her pupils dting with shock.


    The Shadow Pack family’s expressions darkened collectively, the scent of their displeasure filling the air.


    They understood perfectly well what I meant. This Instagram disaster wasn’t something the Blood Moon Pack needed to address publicly. We could have distanced ourselves, maintained usible deniability.


    Instead, my mother had confirmed the affair, suggesting our packs had some longstanding connection—implying that Cici and I were somehow fated mates.


    Everyone in this room knew the truth: my mother was entirely manipted by the Shadow Pack family.


    [This is ridiculous,] Kael snarled in my mind. [They’re trying to trap us.]


    "Nobody made me say anything," my mother finally replied, her chin lifted defensively. "I simply realized that things have gone too far. Cici deserves official recognition. If you two want a proper mating ceremony, we need to control the narrative. This was the only solution I could see—I’m thinking of everyone’s best interests."


    I narrowed my eyes at her. Just days ago, after the charity g fiasco, she wouldn’t even allow Cici to cross the threshold of the Blood Moon territory. What could possibly have changed her mind so quickly?


    My father, Alpha ude, jumped in before I could respond. "What’s done is done. Stop ming your mother and focus on what needs to happen next."


    Before I could reply, Cici’s mom seized the opportunity. "Exactly, Alpha ude. In matters of the heart, me never lies with just one person."


    Her voice dripped with false sympathy. "Cici might be somewhat impulsive, but Alpha Xavier isn’t innocent either. We can’t expect a young female wolf to bear this burden alone."


    She leaned forward, "Besides, my Cici believed Cecilia was merely an ex-girlfriend. She had no idea about this secret marriage. If anyone deceived someone, it was Alpha Xavier concealing his marital status."


    Her voice hardened. "This whole mess has devastated my daughter. Our pack’s reputation is in tatters. Alpha Xavier owes her proper amends."


    While my father contemted his response, I cut through the bullshit with ice-cold precision.


    "I will not divorce my wife," I stated tly. "And I will not take Cici as my mate. Ever."


    Cici’s face drained of color. The dining room’s atmosphere plummeted to freezing. Every face around the table went rigid, the previous forced joviality now painfully ironic.


    Alpha Gavin stood up and pulled me aside, lowering his voice. "ying the devoted husband is pointless now. Cecilia must hate your guts and everything the Blood Moon Pack stands for. There’s no reconciliation possible."


    His voice took on a persuasive edge. "Cici is devoted to you. She won’t ept anyone else. Taking her as your mate would only benefit you."


    I kept my voice low but unyielding. "I’ll say it again: I will never take Cici as my mate."


    "You—" Alpha Gavin sputtered, frustration evident in every line of his body. "You pursued her, and now you’re rejecting her? Where is your conscience? She didn’t force you into this rtionship! This isn’t noble atonement—you’re being cruel to both women!"


    I met his gaze steadily. "I never said I wasn’t at fault. But I love my wife."


    Alpha Gavin fell silent, having no counter to that simple truth.


    Though we’d kept our voices down, fragments of our conversation had carried to the others.


    I returned to the table, my face a mask of cold determination. "The mating is not happening. That’s final. As for our business partnerships, I’m happy to continue them—but I’ll understand if you wish to terminate our agreements."


    I nced pointedly at my mother. "Let’s go. We have other matters to discuss."


    Namely, the bloodbath of a press release that was now trending across all of Denver.


    The Shadow Pack family erupted in fury. Everyone except the shell-shocked Cici and the conflicted Alpha Gavin looked ready to tear me apart with their bare hands.


    "You think the Shadow Pack is some weak prey you can toy with?"Beta Gray snarled. "You think saying ’no’ just makes this disappear? Dream on! Either you make this right for Cici, or forget the project—our packs will be mortal enemies!"


    "If your pack dares to retract the statement, we’ll make sure Cecilia’s family vanishes from Denverpletely!"


    ...


    Their emotional outbursts assaulted my ears, and I could see my father wincing as if each usation was physically painful. My mother remained frozen in her seat, looking as if her world was copsing.


    I merelyughed coldly. "Do whatever you want."


    I didn’t bother exining how Cici had drugged my drink that first night when she tagged along with Alpha Gavin for "business." How she’d seduced me, using every trick imaginable to get me into bed.


    There had never been love between us—just a sordid physical rtionship. We’d conducted a shameful affair that I now regretted with every fiber of my being.


    The Shadow Pack family, havingid all their cards on the table and seeing my continued refusal, found themselves in an impossible position.


    Canceling our joint project would hurt them financially. Dering war on the Blood Moon Pack would gain them nothing.


    The impasse hung heavy in the air.


    Suddenly, Alpha Gavin’s assistant burst into the dining room, her face ashen.


    She ignored all protocol about interrupting such a sensitive meeting and rushed to Alpha Gavin’s side, whispering urgently, "The Silver Peak Bank has frozen the second installment of our joint project loan. They’re demanding aplete re-evaluation."


    Alpha Gavin’s brow furrowed. "That’s absurd. Did you call their secretary? What reason did they give?"


    "I did," the assistant replied, her eyes darting nervously toward the tense standoff in the dining room. Her lips trembled as she recited the exnation verbatim: "Due to recent negative publicity surrounding the project partners, concerns have been raised about potential risks on the project’s viability and ability to pay the loan. Therefore, a full reassessment is necessary."


    Alpha Gavin’s face twitched. And We were all shocked by the news